One piece speed wrench

Abstract

A one-piece speed wrench has a handle and two engagement prongs joined at an engagement area. One prong, the in-line prong, may be parallel with the length of the handle. The other prong, an offset angle prong, contains at least one notch. The notch has two faces. When viewed from the side, one face, the inboard face closest to the engagement area between the two prongs, is at an angle with the face of the in-line prong. The inboard face of each notch is in a preferred embodiment approximately a third as long as each face of the hexagonal fastener. The outboard face adjacent to the inboard face of each notch is at a decreasing angle with the in-line prong in the direction away from the prong engagement area. This decreasing angle of the outboard face of each notch allows for a ratcheting effect. There may be more than one notch, with each notch corresponding to a different size hexagonal fastener. The tool of this invention offers the function of an expensive ratchet type tool and will fit multiple size fastener heads. This tool has no moving parts but still allows a ratcheting effect when used on fasteners.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A one-piece speed wrench for engaging and rotating a hexagonal fastener with outward sides of specified lengths and that are at specified angles to each other, comprising: 
 a handle and two engagement prongs joined at an engagement area;    one of said engagement prongs, an offset angle prong, contains at least one notch, a first notch;    said offset angle prong notch having two faces;    one of said faces of said first notch, an inboard face closest to said engagement area between said two prongs, is at an angle with an engagement face of said second prong when viewed from a side; and    said angle between said inboard face of said first notch and said engagement face of said second prong approximately corresponds to or is slightly less than the specified angles between two outward sides of the hexagonal fastener.    
     
     
         2 . The speed wrench of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said offset angle prong has a second notch also having two faces;    one of said faces of said second notch of said offset prong, an inboard face closest to said engagement area between said two prongs, is at an angle with an engagement face of said second prong when viewed from a side;    said angle between said inboard face of said second notch and said engagement face of said second prong approximately corresponds to or is slightly less than the specified angles between two outward sides of the hexagonal fastener.    
     
     
         3 . The speed wrench of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said second prong is an in-line prong and is parallel with a length of said handle.    
     
     
         4 . The speed wrench of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said inboard faces of said first and second notches having a shorter length than the specified lengths of the outward sides of the hexagonal fastener.    
     
     
         5 . The speed wrench of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said inboard face being approximately a third as long as each outward side of the hexagonal fastener.    
     
     
         6 . The speed wrench of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 each said notch has an outboard face adjacent to said inboard faces; and    said outboard faces being at a decreasing angle with the in-line prong face in a direction away from said prong engagement area.    
     
     
         7 . The speed wrench of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said decreasing angle of each said outboard face of each notch allows for a ratcheting effect when used; and    said decreasing angle of each said outboard face of each notch is between 20 and 30 degrees.    
     
     
         8 . The speed wrench of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said decreasing angle of each said outboard face of each notch is approximately 25 degrees.    
     
     
         9 . The speed wrench of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 each said notch has two outer tips; and    an imaginary line through said outer tips of each said notch will be at an angle less than 60 degrees with said engagement face of said in-line prong.    
     
     
         10 . The speed wrench of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said angle between said imaginary line through said outer lips of each said notch and said engagement face of said in-line prong is between 30 and 40 degrees.    
     
     
         11 . The speed wrench of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said angle between said imaginary line through said outer lips of each said notch and said engagement face of said in-line prong is a 34-degree angle.    
     
     
         12 . A one-piece speed wrench for engaging and rotating a hexagonal fastener with outward sides of specified lengths and that are at specified angles to each other, comprising: 
 a handle and two engagement prongs joined at an engagement area;    one of said engagement prongs, an offset angle prong, contains at least one notch, a first notch;    said offset angle prong notch having two faces;    one of said faces of said first notch, an inboard face closest to said engagement area between said two prongs, is at an angle with an engagement face of said second prong when viewed from a side;    said angle between said inboard face of said first notch and said engagement face of said second prong approximately corresponds to or is slightly less than the specified angles between two outward sides of the hexagonal fastener;    said inboard face of said first notch having a shorter length than the specified lengths of the outward sides of the hexagonal fastener;    said first notch has an outboard face adjacent to said inboard face; and    said outboard face being at a decreasing angle with the second prong face in a direction away from said prong engagement area.    
     
     
         13 . The speed wrench of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said angle between said inboard face of said first notch and said engagement face of said second prong approximately corresponds to or is slightly less than a 60degree angle.    
     
     
         14 . The speed wrench of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said first notch has two outer tips; and    an imaginary line through said outer tips of said notch will be at an angle less than 60 degrees with said engagement face of said second prong.    
     
     
         15 . The speed wrench of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 said decreasing angle of each said outboard face of each notch is between 20 and 30 degrees.